Markham Place School2017-2018School Report Card Narrative

A responsive educational environment optimizes the chances to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of the adolescent learner, while celebrating the uniqueness of each child. At Markham Place School, we believe in building a responsive community, while holding high academic standards in a caring atmosphere. Through the efforts of the staff, and with the support of the Little Silver community, students are provided with a solid educational foundation, which prepares them for future experiences. Knowing the unique intellectual, social, physical and emotional needs of the Markham Place students is as important as knowing the curriculum that we teach. To accomplish this, teachers work closely with their students, monitoring growth and providing guidance and support in a warm, nurturing environment. Expectations for student achievement are high, and every effort is made to help our students find success both as learners and good citizens. Through the inclusion of service learning and character education, students are exposed to various responsibilities of citizenship and are taught the continued need for cooperation as a life skill.

Markham Place School is a special place for middle school students. Markham Place utilizes the Developmental Designs for Middle School (DDMS) approach. DDMS is a research-based approach to education that encompasses the academic and social needs of students. Besides the fact that the DDMS model addresses the four essential adolescent needs (relationship building, autonomy, competence and fun) and organizationally promotes community-building, proactive/reactive behavior management, student engagement and service learning with a focus on school pride and tradition, the school faculty truly embraces the philosophy that every child needs to be known. The Markham Place School faculty truly knows the children in the school, and they develop relationships with those students throughout the school day. Children know there is an adult liaison for them in the building. In addition, those adults continually promote the importance of honesty and integrity and being a good citizen. As a main component of the DDMS Approach, Markham Place School students in grades five through eight participate in a morning advisory program. The morning meeting, called Circle of Power and Respect (CPR) is held each morning. These daily meetings help to strengthen the classroom community while providing an opportunity for all students’ voices to be heard in a supportive environment. An exciting next step in our continuing efforts to develop a deeper sense of community and connectedness occurred last year with the introduction of multi-grade level social houses, called Kith. Students from grade five through eight were evenly divided among the Kith and worked together on service learning projects and engaged in friendly competition with the other Kith. Points were awarded to Kith for various activities, projects, participation and attendance at certain events, culminating in the recognition of the Kith of the Year and presentation of the Kith Cup. Students met with their Kith at the end of designated days (a special bell schedule was used to allow all classes to meet while carving out time for the Kith). During the Kith “period”, students also engaged in activities from the It’s Okay to be Different program entitled Courage to Care. The Courage to Care curriculum gives the students the skills to stand up to peer pressure and discrimination by exploring events in history that depict the struggle for human rights. The curriculum highlights the “heroes” in these events - those who had the courage to fight for the rights of others even when it was not their personal struggle. The unit consists of lessons such as: Respect for the Elderly, Race Relations, Gender Equity and The Holocaust.

Markham Place School students in fifth through eighth grade are challenged by the curriculum offered. We strongly believe in a rigorous academic program that takes into consideration the needs of a variety of learning styles. Our Curriculum is aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, the Common Core Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards and provides for a continuous growth approach to content instruction and skill development. To promote professional growth, the Markham Place faculty is kept current in their fields of instruction through various staff development opportunities. The district Technology and School Improvement Committees (ScIP) work along with the office of Curriculum and Instruction to support the staff in their professional learning and technology goals. Highly rigorous Student Growth Objectives (SGOs) are developed collaboratively, and they include measurable student achievement outcomes. The goals often focus on areas of professional learning that closely correlate to district initiatives and are supported through job-embedded professional development. There is a sitting Principal’s Advisory Committee that includes at least one representative from each grade level and related arts team. Members of this committee meet with the principal monthly to discuss school-related issues. They are an action team that works collaboratively to assure the safety and security of all students and examines school-based issues and their impact on staff, students and parents. They serve as liaisons to their teammates, providing interdependent collaboration among faculty members. Additionally, all grade level and related arts teams engage in Common Planning Time (CPT) where they discuss grade level issues, potential cross-curricular opportunities and other school initiatives.

Recognizing multiple intelligences and the varied learning styles of students, especially at the middle school level, our teachers utilize various instructional strategies to address their needs. The school program supports students with special needs and provides counseling services for the entire school. In addition, we recognize the need for our students to be independent problem-solvers and decision-makers and afford them the opportunity to work both independently and cooperatively on projects and activities utilizing technology. A true differentiated classroom will meet the needs of each learner at their own instructional level.

Nationally, there is a demand for providing 21st Century Education for every student. As the United States continues to compete in a global economy that demands innovation, Little Silver continues to revise curricula and instructional practices to assure that students have opportunities for critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration , creativity and innovation. In order to ensure every child’s success as citizens and workers in the 21st Century, Little Silver has set high academic standards and requires all students to take the following core courses: Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. Beginning this school year a modified block-schedule will be introduced to increase instructional time devoted to Mathematics. Students will have three 80 minute academic blocks per day with Math and ELA meeting every day and Science and Social Studies alternating days. There will also be two 45 minute periods for related arts, world language, and physical education and a 40 minute enrichment period at the end of every day. In terms of the related arts, all students take art, music, technology and STEM courses every year. To prepare our students to compete in a global economy, all students take Spanish. In addition to the aforementioned courses, some of our students participate in Gifted and Talented programs called Enrichment, advanced math programs or academic support programs. All Markham curricula integrate the 21st Century Themes of global awareness, health awareness, financial literacy, environmental literacy and civic literacy.

Furthermore, in order to celebrate the accomplishments of each child, we recognize students for achievements in academics, athletics, community programs and service-learning projects. Students learn the importance of helping others while actively working to make our school and community a better place. Both interscholastic and intramural athletic teams provide students with experiences in competition, cooperation and sportsmanship. Students are also encouraged to participate in activities such as the Computer/Television Broadcast Club, CyberPatriots, an annual theatrical production and performing arts such as band, chorus and orchestra.

Results from the combination of these elements are demonstrated by the success of our students in secondary schools and later, in higher education institutions. Students from Markham Place School consistently score in the highest level on state mandated standardized test. Markham’s staff of highly qualified teachers assists students that require extra help in the areas of mathematics and literacy during supplemental instruction periods. Teachers use multiple assessment measures to help measure students’ acquisition of basic skills in these important areas. Staff continues to grow their professional capital and employ instructional strategies that will best prepare the students of Markham for any standardized test they may face, but more importantly for successful college and career paths.

Funding from the Little Silver Board of Education and the Education Foundation of Little Silver supports the purchase of quality instructional technology located throughout the building. Computers are located in the computer lab, school library, on wireless carts and in each classroom. Additionally, Markham students have access to many online databases and web-based resources that help to enrich and support our Curriculum. All students have daily access to Chromebooks (1-to-1). There are also interactive white boards or SmartTVs in most classrooms. A web site is available with information about Markham Place School and the Little Silver School District at www.littlesilverschools.org. Teachers communicate with parents and the school community through their own district webpages. Additionally, Little Silver Public Schools shares important information with the community by utilizing Facebook, Twitter and other social media. The efforts of the Little Silver Parent Teacher Organization have enabled the school to enrich the educational experiences of our students. The PTO funds extra-curricular events for the children and cultural arts experiences to enhance their learning. The school has sought community input through participation in policy, curriculum, strategic planning committees and parent support groups. Parents provide multiple resources to the school in the form of chaperons, guest speakers and classroom support.

The aforementioned programs are just some of the many offerings that Markham Place School proudly provides. With continued support from the community and the efforts of the staff, the future is bright as we look forward to tomorrow and the opportunities ahead for our community and students of Markham Place School.

Mission Statement:In partnership with families and community, the Little Silver Borough Public School District is invested in continued excellence by inspiring critical thinking, fostering intellectual curiosity, and promoting acceptance of individuals, allowing children to achieve their full potential as responsible, contributing citizens of an ever-changing global community.